Navigational aid



APril 1 1967 R. w. SAYLER ETAL 3,314,178

NAVIGAT'IONAL AID 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 1, 1963 FIG.

April 18, 1967 R. w. SAYLER ETAL 3,314,178

NAVIGATIONAL AID Original Filed July 1, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 47INVENTORS RICHARDSON w. SAYLER RALPH E. BAILEY BYw y, mu /5 ATTORNEYSyd) April 1, 1%? R. w. SAYLER ETAL 3,314,178

NAVIGATIONAL AID Original Filed July 1, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. /0 62illtllfllllllllll] 56 6 INVENTORS RICHARDSON W. SAYLER RALPH E. BAILEYAT TORN EYS April 18, 1967 I R. w. sAYLER METAL Q 7 3,314,178

NAVIGATIONAL AID Original Filed July 1,1963 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTORSRICHARDSON W. SAYLER RALPH E. BAILEY svlwy,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Continuation of application Ser. No.291,744, July 1,

1963. This application Sept. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 495,022

' 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-130) This is a continuation of application Ser. No.291,744, filed July 1, 1963, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to the navigation of ships, aircraft andother manned areospace vehicles and is more particularly concerned witha navigational aid having notable usefulness in the piloting of aircraftin instrument weather and nighttime conditions.

With the growth of aircraft traflic, particularly in and aroundaerodromes, with the increasing approach and landing speeds of aircraftand with the use of increasingly complex flight arrival and departurepatterns, the ready availability to the aircraft pilot of discerniblenavigational information is becoming more and more of an absolutenecessity. For example, modern jet aircraft fly at a speed which is wellabove 200 miles per hour in the aerodrome arrival pattern and while atthat speed, in order to process the aircraft for landing, the pilots areoften instructed, via voice communications from an air trafficcontroller, to hold at a designated navigational fix or to proceed fromone navigational fix to another prior to the approach for landing. Theproblem of arrival navigation is further complicated in instrumentweather conditions precluding visual flight, visual separation ofaircraft or a visual landing, inasmuch as a navigational inaccuracy or aslow response to the ground controllers directions may result in acollision with other aircraft or with the ground. In such instrumentWeather conditions and usually during nighttime flying, a pilot inaddition to having to visualize the controllers instructions fornavigating the aircraft must maintain a close visual scan of theaircraft flight and navigational instruments and thereby ensure that theaircraft is proceeding safely and in accordance with those instructions.Thus, the pilot must visually scan the appropriate navigationalinformation and the aircraft instruments and relate these almostinstantaneously to the controllers instructions as they are received,all while the aircraft is traveling at a high rate of speed.Accordingly, the pilot must have the navigational information readilyavailable to him so that he can carry out this task. This navigationalinformation is conventionally made available to the pilot by means of anotebook having pages devoted to each aerodrome and including ageographic representation of the aerodrome and the local navigationalfixes and the electronic aids useful to the pilot. This manner ofproviding the navigational information is, however, less discernible anduseful than that desired, particularly by a pilot who is also engrossedin the numerous other tasks of flying the aircraft. It is, therefore, aprincipal aim of the present invention to provide a novel and usefulnavigational aid for presenting navigational information to the pilot ina clear and distinct manner so that it is readily discernible for rapidinterpretation.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and novelnavigational aid which displays the appropriate navigational informationin a manner convenient to the pilot.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide a new and improvednavigational aid for presenting legible and easily discerniblenavigational information during both daylight and nighttime conditions.

ICC

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a novel device fordisplaying navigational information which allows for rapid change of theinformation.

Still another aim of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved navigational aid for the pilot of an aircraft or other vehiclewhich does not distract the pilot or otherwise interfere with hiscontrol of the vehicle.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the forward portionof an aircraft cockpit showing an embodiment of the navigational aid ofthe present invention in full lines in one position and in phantom linesin two other positions;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal view, partly broken away, of thenavigational aid;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section view, partly broken away, takensubstantially along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial section view taken substantially alongline 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial section view taken substantially alongline 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section view taken substantially along line 6-6 ofFIG. 5;

' FIG. 7 is an enlarged section view taken substantially along line 77of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial section view taken along line 8--8 of FIG.2;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial sec-ion view taken substantially alongline 99 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial longitudinal view of the navigational aidshowing a representation of aeronautical navigational information;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of an electrical system of the navigationalaid;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an aircraft cockpit installation ofanother embodiment of the navigational aid of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a partial transverse section view of the installation of FIG.12.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of anavigational aid 10 of the present invention installed in an aircraftcockpit of the type having dual controls 12. The navigational aid 10 isshown mounted cent rally above the front windshield by a support 14rigidly secured to the aircraft, as by screws 16, and includes agenerally rectangular frame 18 which is made adjustable by means of atelescoping arm 26 having a first universal connection 22 with thesupport 14 and a second universal connection 24 with the frame 18.Consequently, the frame 18 may be readily positioned by the aircraftpilot or copilot for optimum viewing with minimum head movement andwithout interfering with his scan of the aircraft instruments or controlof the aircraft. A pair of brackets 26, which is shown provide a pair ofelongated pockets, are mounted above the aircraft windshield for storingthe frame 18 when it is not in use, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1.

Mounted within the frame 18 are a pair of electroluminescent plates 28,30 in back-to-back relationship. These plates are of conventionalconstruction and in a well known manner they each include a layer ofelectroluminescent phosphor which serves as a light emitting source whenan electrical potential is applied thereto. The two electroluminescentplates 28, 30 therefore provide a pair of oppositely facing lamps ofrectangular planar configuration.

The frame 18, which is preferably black to eliminate glare andconstructed of molded plastic, comprises two frame halves 32, 34 whichare suitably connected by a plurality of rivets 36 located along threesides of the frame. On the fourth side of the frame there is provided aninwardly tapering opening 38 for feeding slides as of the type 40 shownin FIG. 10. The frame halves 32, 34 have rectangular recesses 42 forreceiving the electroluminescent plates, 28, 3t) and a second pair ofsmaller rectangular recesses 44 communicating with the tapered opening38 which provide guide tracs's for retaining the slides inserted in theframe. Therefore, it should be apparent that one or two slides can bereadily inserted through the opening 38 and retained therein insuperimposed relationship with either one or both of theelectroluminescent plates 28, 38.

The telescoping arm 20 includes an outer cylindrical section 46 and aninner cylindrical section 48 which are connected by means of a threadedbushing 50 secured to the outer cylindrical section 46 and to which theinner cylindrical section 48 may be adjustably secured by a serratedknob 52 threaded to the bushing 50. Therefore the length of thetelescoping arm 29 can be readily adjusted with the outwardly flared end54 of the inner cylindrical section 48 providing a stop for establishingthe maximum arm length. The universal connection 22, which includes aconventional ball and socket joint, provides for attaching the section46 of the telescoping arm to the support 14. The universal connection 24is semilarly constructed for connecting the section 48 of thetelescoping arm to the frame 18. This latter connection additionallyinclude a sleeve 56 having an inwardly extending annular flange 58 whichis received within a complementary annulus in a bushing 60 to allow forturning the frame relative to the telescoping arm as by a serrated knob59 formed integrally with the frame halves 32, 34. This sleeve 56 isthreaded to a pair of matching projections 62, 63 integrally formed withthe frame halves 32, 34, respectively, for attachment to the frame 18.

A schematic of an electrical circuit for supplying power to theelectroluminescent plates is shown in FIG. 11. This electrical circuit,which may be usefully installed within a housing 64 of the support 14-,has a pair of input leads 66 for connection to an A.C. power source, anda pair of output leads 68 for connection to the electroluminescentplates 28, 3%). Generally, the electrical circuit includes a rectifierbridge circuit 69 for supplying pulsating DC. power to an excitercircuit, generally denoted by the numeral 70. The exciter circuitincludes a transistor 71 which is connected for exciting a center tapprimary 72 of a transformer 73 for developing a frequency in thetransformer secondary 75 which is preferably of the order of 400 cyclesper second. This circuit is made controllable for regulating theintensity of the light emitted from the electroluminescent plates by amanually controllable variable resistor 74.

The output leads 68 of the circuit are electrically connected to theelectroluminescent plates by means of a twowire lead 67 threaded throughthe universal connections 22, 24 and the telescoping arm 20 forelectrical connection to a pair of spring-biased contacts 76, 77slideably mounted in the bushing 60 of the universal connection 24. Thecontact 76 is centrally located for cooperation with a contact 78 of anelectrical connector 80 secured within an axial opening formed byrecesses in the frame extensions 62 and 63. A pair of substantiallysemicircular contacts 82, 84 (FIG. 6) are secured to the frameextensions 62, 63 for electrical connection with the connector 80, andare adapted for alternative engagement by the contact 77, as the frame18 and sleeve 56 are turned with respect to the bushing 60. Partiallyspherical recesses 86 are preferably provided in the contacts 82, 84 toprovide detents for holding the frame in either of two 180- apartpositions. The electrical connector provides for connecting the centercontact 78 with a lead common to both electroluminescent plates and forconnecting the semicircular contacts 82, 84 with the electroluminescentplates 28, 30, respectively. Consequently, the electrical connectionsprovide for energizing only one of the electroluminescent plates at anyone time and with selectivity being provided by turning the frame. Aslide can therefore be placed for superimposition on one or both of theelectroluminescent plates and the frame appropriately positioned and thelight intensity of the electroluminescent plates controlled forconvenient scanning of the navigational information portrayed on theslides. The telescoping arm section 48 is to be arranged so that theslide facing the pilot is illuminated. The oppositely facingelectroluminescent plate will remain ofi" thereby avoiding any possibleglare which might otherwise result due to the reflection of light fromthe windshield of the aircraft.

Another embodiment of the navigational aid is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.In this embodiment a single electroluminescent plate is inserted in agenerally rectangular frame 102 having an opening for inserting theslide at the upper edge thereof. The lower edge of the frame ispivotally mounted adjacent the aircraft instrument panel on the frontconsole preferably by a hinge 104 which incorporates a torsional springto bias the frame to its forward pivotal extremity where the frame issubstantially upright for convenient viewing by the aircraft pilot witha minimum of additional head movement. The frame 102 when not in use maybe conveniently stored, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 13, bydepressing the frame forwardly until it is retained in a generallyhorizontal position by a suitable catch 106. This embodiment of thenavigational aid may subsequently be used by releasing the catch.

The particular slide 40, shown in FIG. 10, emphasizes the usefulness ofthe present invention. This slide 40 provides a negative representationof the important navigational information required by a jet pilot whenapproaching the Patuxent River Naval Aerodrome for landing. The slide 40by the provision of relatively opaque and translucent (includingtransparent) areas includes a geographic display of the aerodrome andthe navigational facilities in the area of the aerodrome which would benormally used by the air trafiic controller in processing the aircroftfor landing at the Patuxent River Naval Aerodrome. Also, the slide 40incorporates much additional information useful by the pilot includingthe usual communication frequencies, the layout of the aerodrome runwaysand the criteria for the approach for landing. The slide 40 ispreferably constructed of transparent clear plastic with the opaqueareas printed or otherwise formed in black thereon; however, it has beenfound that a transparent plastic tinted with yellow, red 0 blue is alsouseful. For reducing cockpit lighting and glare and for increasing theclearness of the representation provided by the slide, the opaque areasof the slide are preferably sufiiciently black to exclude thetransmission of all light therethrough.

Slides similar to the slide 40 and showing the important in formationfor approaching other aerodromes or for displaying enroute or departurenavigational information are contemplated as a part of the presentinvention and would be, as needed, inserted in the frame for use by thepilot. The pilot can therefore readily navigate the aircraft inaccordance With the air trafiic controllers instructions or with hispredetermined flight plan, all without interfering with his normalinstrument scan or control of the aircraft. As a result the navigationalaid has its most noteworthy utility in instrument weather and nighttimeconditions where visual flying is impossible or, at best, ditficult,inasmuch as the pilot is required to use a negligible amount of anyadditional head movement in the process of including the navigationalaid in his visual scan.

Also, during nighttime operation when it is important to keep thecockpit dark for maintaining the pilots night vision, the navigationalaid intensity can be adjusted for rapid discernment of the sliderepresentation without the otherwise necessity of directing an auxiliarylight such as a flashlight on a non-illuminated chart. It shouldtherefore be understood that the navigational aid of the presentinvention provides for the pilot a highly useful device for portrayingthe great quantity of navigational information which he must use evenduring a routine flight, all without interfering with his operation andcontrol of the aircraft or interfering with his normal scan of theaircraft instruments.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modificationsand adaptations of the structure above described will become readilyapparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,the scope of which is defined in the appended claim.

We claim:

In a chart holder for aircraft, a telescoping arm swingably connected toa supporting member in said aircraft, a chart receiving generally planarframe pivotally attached to said arm, said frame being open on oppositesides for displaying charts on each side thereof, electroluminescentpanel means adapted for providing lighting on the opposite sides of saidframe secured centrally within said frame generally coplanar therewith,a recess located between the opposite sides of said panel means and saidframe for receiving said charts, an elongated opening along one edge ofsaid frame providing access to said recesses, and control meansconnecting said electroluminescent panel means to an electrical powersource for selectively energizing opposite sides of said panel means andfor varying the lighting intensity of the panel means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 922,204 5/1909Smith 24()73 1,701,696 2/1929 Parsons 10 2,646,637 7/1953 Nierenberg40106.1 X 2,716,298 8/1955 Spielmann 40-130 2,824,393 2/ 1958 Shapiro40-10 2,850,837 9/1958 Karalus 40125 X 2,971,125 2/1961 Aiken 40130 XFOREIGN PATENTS 679,354 1/ 1930 France.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

H. F. ROSS, Assistant Examiner.

